“2017 – Georgia-Germany Year” and Georgian film Screenings in “Arsenal”

Festival in Media

2017-10-05

On April 21, 2017, Georgia-Germany Friendship year was officially opened in Tbilisi City Assembly building.

With the slogan "Inheriting the future - Georgia-Germany Year 2017" under the patronage of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, both countries celebrate the important dates of their relations together: the arrival of first German emigrants in Georgia 200 years ago and the 25th anniversary of establishing Georgian-German diplomatic relations.

In 2017, numerous important events will be held in both countries. In addition, Georgia will be the Guest of Honor at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2018.

In the frame of Georgia-Germany year, with the support of Embassy of Georgia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany, and the Georgian National Film Center, Georgian cinema week is being held in Institute for Film and Video Art and theatre "Arsenal". From October 1-19, the visitors will be able to see the landmarks of Georgian film history as well as the new films. Additionally, they will be able to attend panel discussions held in the theatre with participation of directors: Otar Iosseliani, Lana Gogoberidze, Merab Kokochashvili, Nutsa-Aleksi Meskhishvili, Dito Tsintsadze.

The retrospective series was opened on October 1st with the film of Lana Gogoberidze "Some Interviews on Personal Questions". Stefanie Schulte Strathaus, the head of Berlinale Film Festival Forum program and cultural attaché Dudana Mazmanishvili talked to the audience gathered in the theatre about the richest Georgian cinema archive protected in "Arsenal", about past cooperation and future projects.

On October 2, the panel discussion moderated by Stefanie Schulte Strathaus was held, with attendance of Erika and Ulrich Gregor, Khatuna Khundadze ("Georgian Film" board member) and Susan Oxtoby (University of California).

Founders of "Arsenal", film critics, Erika and Ulrich Gregor have a special attitude towards Georgian filmmaking and it's been years already that they're actively collaborating with our festival. According to Berlin competition program "Forum" founders, the Gregors, Georgian cinema phenomenon is a special one in world cinematography. German "Arsenal" is the world's second biggest archive keeping Georgian films following the Russian state film archive "Gosfilmofond". "Arsenal" archive keeps 130 Georgian films nowadays.

For this retrospective in 2017, "Arsenal" digitally restored three Georgian films: "Great Green Valley" (1967) by Merab Kokochashvili, "Some Interviews on Personal Questions" (1987) by Lana Gogoberidze and "At the Border" (1993) by Dito Tsintsadze. These directors will attend the presentation of restored films.

Heinrich Böll Foundation, as a contribution to Georgia-Germany year, offers a documentary film and discussion series - "Female Gazes from Georgia - Contemporary Documentaries" The screenings will be held in autumn in five different cities: Berlin, "Kino Arsenal" and "Wolf", Hamburg - "Kino Metropolis", Leipzig - in the frame of DOK Leipzig festival, in Cottbus during Cottbus Film Festival and in Dresden at "MOVE IT! Festival" - Kino Thalia.

To celebrate Georgian-German anniversary year, from October 4-10, the retrospective of landmarks of the German cinema will be held at our festival and Merab Kokochashvili's restored "Great Green Valley" will also be screened.